100 Irises
by Nimash
Summary: 100 Themes Challenge. Ayame Jonouchi was a scholar, "Miss Morse", third in Class 2A, and one of the two girls that Tamaki Suoh just couldn't charm. And yet somehow, he won her heart... Chapter 8: Gateway
1. Introductions

**Hello everyone, Nimash here. I've recently gone back to school, and all the creativity has been drained from me. So, in the hopes that it might inspire me, I have decided to try my hand at a 100 Themes Challenge, using TamakixAyame. I'm really killing several birds with one stone, as I help spread the word of this couple, spark my inspiration, try something new, and work on my oneshots.**

**If you are unaware of who Ayame is, I highly suggest you read the Ayame arc in the anime, as she has around a grand total of ten seconds of a cameo appearance in the anime.**

**The rules? Here they are:**

**1) One shots only. They can't be related to each other.**

**2) I must focus on the theme given to me and only that theme.**

**3) I have to go in order.**

**4) Only TamakixAyame, allowing other characters to make appearances, but not be the main focus.  
**

**5) Rating and length will vary, although for the most part the rating should stick to K+. The POV will switch between Tamaki, Ayame, and third person.  
**

* * *

Introductions

"You have such straight and beautiful hair."

"No… It's just…"

"I bet your heart is just as lovely and true as your hair."

She didn't giggle or squeal, nor melt into his violet eyes. Instead, she instantly turned away, a chilling sensation taking over her body. Was this Tamaki Suoh guy for real?

Ayame sneaked a quick look at him as he turned to look at her, giving her a warm smile. She felt the light blush on her cheek slowly grow warmer. Perhaps he was just a princely character…

* * *

Only five minutes later, and the classroom was filled with squeals and blushes, compliments flying around the room like common houseflies, including, but not limited to: "Your eyes are so beautiful. I bet your heart is just as lovely and true as your eyes." "What amazing skin. I bet you heart is just as lovely and true as your skin." And so on and so forth.

Now she knew he couldn't have been genuine. But he was from abroad, so she might as well give him benefit of the doubt and say that he didn't know many other Japanese words. In fact, he was probably a complete idiot.

* * *

She stared at the class rankings from the exam, anger slowly boiling insider of her. "Impossible," Ayame hissed to herself. How could that idiot beat her and take her place as second in the class? She gritted her teeth as she listened to the girls giggle and fawn over Tamaki, as he "humbly" told them that, quote: "Um… I don't know… All I do is study like everyone else. But I will say this… It might mean that, at times, the heavens grant a person two or three gifts."

Ayame's head snapped towards the boy as she thought harshly, staring daggers into the back of his head, _Go back to the heavens! Vanish this instant!_ She tried to calm herself, believing that it was a simple fluke, no reason to panic.

But time and time again, Tamaki beat her. He didn't pull all-nighters, and he was even part of a club, giving him less time to study. How in the world did he do it...

* * *

She hated him. She really, really did. But of course, first impressions are not always entirely accurate, as she would come to learn…

* * *

**Disclaimer: I don't own OHSHC.**

**So, this whole challenge was inspired by Mimi-dudette's wonderful fantabuloushouslisticness (yes, that's a word) one shot called "A War of Words". Check it out, it's amazing!**

**What did you think? This is my first story that the twins aren't the main focus (just like Mimi's, ironically enough) and I feel a tad bad about it. I'm sorry! D: -glomps twins- I swear I will make sure you appear at least once! No, five times! Minimum! **

**Sorry if it was a bit short, but I had to get this out there. As always, read and enjoy! The next theme is... Complicated.  
**


	2. Complicated

Complicated

I hated him.

I loved him.

I detested some traits of him.

I was obsessed with him.

I liked him.

I disliked him overall.

In other words, my feelings towards Tamaki were… complicated to describe.

I abandoned my homework temporarily to try and clear the storm in my mind. How could I sort this out so I could store these thoughts away for later, neat and organized, when I wasn't studying? Perhaps I should go into more detail on how I felt about Tamaki Suoh.

I was unimpressed with his flowery words. My logic could easily crush his opinions in a single blow, letting me feel the triumph of victory as I watched him squirm and try to grasp what I had just explained, trying to counter with something and failing, suffocating under my gaze.

And yet, I wanted him to try. Try to impress me, throw something new at me that I couldn't defeat. Something to wow me, and make me feel special. Because I just wanted to know that I had a sacred place in his heart, reserved just for me.

Or did I…? I shook me head, becoming frustrated. I decided to move onto a different aspect of him.

I hated some of the people he had befriended. Mainly the twins. Although, "hate" is a strong word. Abhor suited the situation far better.

While I had to admit that they had given me a makeover and gave me a wavy hairstyle that I did find easier than straightening my hair, they were still annoying, and their impish nature clearly conflicted with my scholarly attitude. Not to mention I was still a little sore on their comments about my hair, whether they improved it or not…

But on the on the other hand, Tamaki also hung around some respectable students. There was that Haruhi boy, who proved to be scholarly and focused, along with Kyouya, whom I respected.

Dear god this was irritating. I rubbed my temples as I closed my eyes, trying a different angle once more.

I hated that Tamaki was so insincere. Repeating the same type of compliment countless times to different girls, acting so cocky and arrogant. Who did he think he was?

Still, he had proven to me that he was actually quite genuine. He always meant every compliment he gave to a girl, always found something beautiful even in the evilest of people.

My hands turned into fists as I ground my teeth together. Look at me! I had abandoned my homework, given up precious time that I could be using to study, to simply think deeply about Tamaki Suoh. This had to stop. If not now, then soon. I sighed, gazing upon the textbook in front of me longingly. I wanted it to surround me with knowledge, factual information that I could base my arguments on. For now, I would have to label these thoughts as "complicated, and should be thought about later in detail".

I took a deep breath, and began to focus once more on my work. No one was going to take my mind off of this wealth of knowledge waiting for me.

* * *

Only after I had completed the questions in the textbook did I realize that half of my answers were "Tamaki". That settled it; I hate him for forever being on my mind even when I didn't want him to be. However, I often found myself enjoying going over my encounters with him throughout the day in my head…

I sighed. Damn you, Tamaki Suoh.

* * *

**Disclaimer: I don't own Tamaki, Hikaru, Kaoru, Haruhi, Kyouya, or Ayame. But I do own this keyboard that I'm typing on! ^^**

**What can I say? A muse hit me with this idea. And I managed to give Hikaru and Kaoru a guest appearance. (even if it was only in Ayame's thoughts...) -happy dance- I feel proud regardless of the circumstances. (=3=)b**

**I hope Ayame wasn't too OOC. This is my first attempt at a character like her. ^.^U**

**So, do you want me to continue? Then review! Cyber textbooks (made out of sugar) to all who review! Read and enjoy. The next theme is... Making History. Oh boy, I'm going to have to get creative on that one...  
**


	3. Making History

Making History

Ayame hated the rain. Always had, always will.

Not only was it loud and distracting, but also it caused her hair to curl, which she absolutely hated.

She walked briskly down the front steps of the school, her umbrella large and black, hanging over her like a doom cloud. She had immediately skipped the Host Club, not in the mood to shoot down anybody, and would instead lock herself up in her room and study, trying to ignore the sound of rain on the roof. Today had already been a miserable day, from the whispering of her classmates about rumors of her and Tamaki's relationship, to seeing Tamaki being surrounded by other girls and not even acknowledging her presence, and all wrapped up with the fact that her hair was out of control and she had a headache.

Of course, there was one more reason she hated rain. However, Ayame only realized it _after_ her feet had flown out from under her on the last stair, sending her flying, her umbrella and book bag seeming to leap out of her hands, as if trying to escape.

A light thud signaled that she had landed square on her behind at the bottom of the stairs, no one in sight, rain pouring down on her, getting her drenched. Ayame simply sat there, stunned, as she continued to get rained on, her umbrella rolling off, still open, to heaven knows where, her book bag a few feet away.

To add insult to injury, she heard giggles, and looked up to find Tamaki escorting a large group of flirtatious female students to their cars, carrying a huge umbrella. They all laughed and smiled, seeming to be lost in conversation. Not one of them noticed her, sitting there, wet, cold, and alone.

Ayame turned her head away bitterly, biting her lip. "I'm not going to cry," she whispered to herself, fighting down the lump in her throat as she slowly stood up on the slippery concrete of the sidewalk, trying to make her way to her bag. "I'm not going to cry." Her uniform was just about ruined, no doubt. Her homework was probably soggy, and her umbrella was a lost cause.

Painfully taking her sweet time to her book bag, Ayame wished she was a more balanced person. She continued to bite her lip, the stress of the day building up on her shoulders with each agonizingly slow step. "I'm not going to cry," she hissed to herself, blinking back tears.

Who cared about what those idiotic girls thought of her? Who cared about that stupid Tamaki Suoh? Why should she even bother?

Ayame let out a yelp as her feet failed her, causing her to slip onto her face, just a foot away from her book bag. Now she was drenched to the bone, her face and bum hurt, and she had just had the worst day of her life.

She cared about what those idiotic girls thought of her. She cared about that stupid Tamaki Suoh. She bothered because no matter how much she denied it, she loved that idiot to pieces.

And then, right then and there, lying on the sidewalk, for the first time since the "stealing Tamaki's stuff" incident, Ayame Jonouchi cried.

She tried to hold back the little whimpers and tears, but they kept coming down her face, strong as the rain above her. There was no use trying to stop, the pain kept hitting her again and again.

"Ayame?" The said girl looked up, immediately scrambling to her knees and taking off her glasses, wiping her eyes. She knew that velvety voice anywhere, but it couldn't be…

"Tamaki?" She narrowed her eyes, putting her glasses back on and trying to avoid eye contact so that he wouldn't be able to tell she had been crying. "What are you doing here?"

She peeked up at him, to find him smiling warmly and gently down at her, holding his gargantuan umbrella above her. He was holding a book bag and a black umbrella, and explained, offering her a hand up, "I saw you fall and went after your umbrella. I hope you aren't too wet."

She took his hand, bitterly grumbling, "I am afraid it is a little late for that, Tamaki, as I am drenched."

"Sorry, but why don't you stop by the Host Club? We could get you dried off and into a new uniform in no time! I have the worksheets, so you can copy the questions if your homework got ruined at all."

"I'm afraid I will have to decli-ah!" Just as she thought she had stabled herself, she tripped, falling right into Tamaki's arms, their faces inches apart.

Tamaki smiled as she slowed down her breathing, soothing, "Don't worry, I got you."

Her face was turning a deep shade of crimson, along with Tamaki's. Ayame desperately wanted to establish some space between them, to jump back, but she knew she would only slip and fall, making an even bigger fool of herself. Slowly, she moved back, steadying herself on her own feet, snapping at Tamaki, "I can walk perfectly fine on my own, thank you very much."

He laughed a little at the statement, and she mentally cursed that he was somehow also given the cutest laugh she had ever heard. "Let me help you, Ayame," he soothed, offering his hand.

She should have rejected it on the spot. There was no way she would swallow her pride and accept defeat.

And yet she did. Right then and there, she blushed brilliantly, taking Tamaki's hand as he led her back inside the school, smiling at her and chatting all the way.

She wasn't in the mood to shoot anyone down. Ayame was in the foulest mood she had ever been in, and now she wanted nothing more than the safety and comfort of holding Tamaki's hand as he led her, like a prince, towards a brighter day.

Perhaps they had just made history. This was the very first time that Ayame was actually grateful it had rained.

* * *

**Disclaimer: Dn't wn HSHC r vwls.**

**If you understand that, then you are more than capable of reviewing. Just saying. :P**

**Argh, sick, tired, stressed, busy, and school has just about drained every ounce of creativity from my being. Not to mention that my internet if on again off again... I'll be updating some of my stories soon, for the few people who care.**

**This was frustrating. Mainly because I had a whole other idea worked out, up to five pages written in Word, and then suddenly I thought, "Hey, why not make my life more complicated and make this an even bigger pain by totally deleting that story and starting from scratch?"**

**Well, the first draft actually didn't make much sense, although reading through this, both Tamaki and Ayame are quite ooc... Whatever, I'm tired, stressed, and don't want to fix it right now.**

**Oh, and before I wrap this up, I would like to give a special thank you to Fairy of the Flames, who is one of three reviewers (a whole three... gee, I feel accomplished) who actually suggested I used Tamaki's cute laugh. I must admit, it's quite adorable. Although I felt a little bit like a creeper for scanning Youtube for it...**

**Next Theme: Rivalry. Hmm... I might have an idea...  
**

**As always, read and enjoy.**


	4. Rivalry

**I'm not dead! Before you read:**

**Ayame**

**_Tamaki_**

**Disclaimer: I don't own OHSHC.

* * *

**

Rivalry

Ayame had never truly acknowledged the fact before, but she was constantly competing for Tamaki's affection.

_Tamaki, being the idiot that he was, had never even truly noticed the fact that he was competing for Ayame's attention repeatedly._

"Oh, Tamaki," the female students giggled, batting their eyes as he complimented every single one who went up to him. Ayame sat in the front, bitter, grinding her teeth together. There was no way she would ever be caught dead trying to fish out a compliment from the likes of Tamaki, but he wasn't even trying to say hello, not even flashing a smile like he used to.

_"Ayame~!" he would chime, beaming as he came into the classroom to find her nose deep within a book. He had spent all week thinking of wonderful things to say to her, and now he finally had the chance. "I-"_

_ "Not now, Tamaki," she cut him off, not even bothering to look up, "I'm busy."_

_ He would sulk, but every day, as it got closer and closer to final exams, she would ignore him more and more, insisting that her studies were more important to her._

_ And for some reason, that hurt Tamaki more than it should have, when she didn't even bother to listen to him._

"Milord, how do you think of such stupid cosplay ideas?"

"They are not stupid, they are pure genius!"

Ayame gripped the handle of her teacup just a tad tighter. Even at the Host Club, when she requested him, he didn't even pounce at the opportunity to enchant her with a new compliment he had thought of. Instead, here she was, sitting right in front of him, ignored, as he bickered with the twins and chatted with every other person in the room.

She had had enough. Without a second thought, she reached into her book bag and pulled out her science textbook, flipping open to the assigned chapter. If Tamaki wasn't going to give her the courtesy of at least acknowledging her presence, then she certainly wasn't going to waste her time on a lost cause.

_Tamaki did not want to give up on Ayame. But the time came that he knew he had to, at least for now. It was clear to him, even being the idiot that he was, that he was just a mere speck in her universe, where grades and knowledge ruled._

_ Even when he wanted to work on a worksheet with her, as an excuse to sit near her, to talk to her, to gaze on her silver eyes, she would merely say, "I can finish this faster when you don't pester me. Go work with Kyouya if you are so fixed on distracting someone."_

_ That hurt. It really did. No matter how hard he tried, no matter how many hints he dropped, she just couldn't look up from her work long enough to see and care about what was right in front of her eyes._

Every few minutes, she glanced up from the book, trying to catch Tamaki's eye. Each time, her heart sank just a little deeper, as she continued to confirm the fact that she was now invisible to him.

"Oh, Tamaki," the two other girls seated with her cooed as he continued to woo them. One saw her, and scolded, "Ayame, it's rude to read when Tamaki is trying to talk to you!"

Ayame looked up, her eyes dull. Sparing a glance at Tamaki, she was slightly taken aback to find that he was looking at her almost longingly. She grit her teeth, thinking, _Oh, so now the idiot wants me to pay attention. Too bad, I've had it with him._ She snapped at the girl calmly, "I'm afraid that Tamaki is apparently not speaking to me as of the last few days, and due to the fact that he is not showing me proper respect, it would only be fair on my part to not return what is not given to me. In fact, I might as well leave. A good day to you all."

She picked up her book bag; thankful for the amount of time she had left to study.

The second Ayame stepped out of the room, however, she could feel the pang in her heart, that longing for him to run out right now and yell her name, for him to take her into his arms.

The tears came only after she was seated in her limo, alone in the back, the window separating the driver and the passengers rolled up. Why did she always have to lose at this contest?

_He forced himself to ignore her. He was only being a nuisance to the one person he truly loved. Tamaki convinced himself that it would be best for her, that she would finally be happy with him this way. Even if he had to sometimes blink back tears whenever he saw her._

_ At the Host Club, he knew that she would only complain that this was a waste of the time she could use to be studying. To save her the trouble, he didn't talk to her, knowing that she would much rather work on her homework._

_ "A good day to you all." How untrue everything she said was. He wanted her. He wanted her so badly. To hold her, look at her, breath in her scent. Yet here he was, just annoying her yet again. He couldn't yell out to her, to keep her from leaving. She wanted this time to study, to escape him and his distractions._

_ Only after had she slammed the door had he excused himself, briskly making his way to the bathrooms, and stopping in front of the mirrors. After he had made sure that not a single soul was there, he let the tears come, falling off of his cheeks and rolling into the porcelain sink._

_ How desperately he wanted her to abandon her studies, to throw everything away, if only for a minute, to care about him. It was clear, though, that she would never care for him in that way._

_ Why did he always have to lose at this contest?

* * *

_**I'm happy with this chapter :D**

**At first, I had only written down Ayame's POV, but then I realized that I had only focused on her side of the relationship so far, so I threw in Tamaki. And I must say it made it a 100 times better. I'm proud. :D**

**Right, busy, I got homework, really don't have time for much of an end note! Let's wrap this up!**

**Next: Unbreakable (This will probably be AU, just warning you now)**

**Until then, read and enjoy!  
**


	5. Unbreakable

Unbreakable

He paced on the shining white floor, others around barely sparing him a glance, clearly having more important things to do. Tamaki continued to pace in the waiting room of the hospital, anxious, nervous, and scared to death as he waited. He hated this feeling of not knowing. Not knowing what was going on behind those doors to the emergency operating room, not knowing how his wife was, not even knowing how much longer he would have to wait and let his worries gnaw on him and swallow him up.

Tamaki paused to look at the clock, ticking, taunting him with every minute that passed by with him left in this too white space with only his thoughts and nightmares to go by. His last words to the doctors that rushed Ayame away echoed in his head: "If it has to come down to it, save my wife, not the baby." It seemed only one doctor, apparently the head, had heard him as the others shouted to each other, giving him a firm nod and slightly grim look, turning back to the group as they disappeared behind the swinging doors, not to be seen for what had now been a little over two hours.

Finally, Tamaki took a seat once more, his head in his hands. This was his fault. It had to be. He was such an idiot, it was plain as day that he had done something wrong. Ayame would hate him, he was sure of it.

Even if she would have never admitted out loud, he could see it in her eyes, hear it in her voice, and notice how she would subconsciously touch her stomach whenever the pregnancy was mentioned. She loved this baby just as much, if not more than him. She had looked forward to raising her own child, to becoming a mother. Now, that dream had been crushed, and Tamaki could just tell he had something to do with it.

She had even caved in and taken some of his advice, eating at least five Caesar Salads a day, apparently caused by the pregnancy due to the fact that Ayame had told Tamaki on their very first dinner date that if he was going to order for her, then it better not be a Caesar Salad.

Tamaki laughed at the memory, remembering how she had hit him lightly on the head with a menu when he ordered for her, taking back her words and saying that she was perfectly capable of doing something as simple as choosing her meal. They were just a light and innocent high school couple back then, with no dreams of ever being married straight out of college and starting a family together.

He still remembered how he proposed to her. It was Christmas, in their senior year of college, each of them going to separate universities that were close enough so they could still see each other on a daily basis. It was early afternoon, and they were strolling around Ayame's campus, steaming cups of coffee in their hands, scarves around their necks. They were chatting as usual; only both of them had changed since they had first met. Tamaki had actually matured, and was not quite the idiot he was at Ouran, although he still had his moments. He no longer tried to use flowery compliments on Ayame, instead going for something a little subtler, which was a dramatic change for him. Ayame herself had eventually stopped shooting down everything he said to her, and instead actually accepted a few of his heartfelt compliments with a slight blush.

As they chatted and laughed, Ayame began to shiver, tiny white snowflakes beginning to drift down. He suggested they head inside her favorite bookstore to warm up, the bell above the door chiming to signal their arrival. Just as they were sitting down to read their selections, Tamaki pulled out a bookmark for Ayame. She watched him, and was about to protest that she didn't need one, until she saw the golden ring tied to it with a string. The next thing he knew, Tamaki was on one knee, Ayame was speechless, and they were to be married.

He smiled at the warm memory, temporarily forgetting his surroundings. "Mr. Suoh?" He lifted his head when a man called his name quietly, tapping his shoulder.

Tamaki jumped to his feet, seeing the head doctor that had been barking orders and listened to his final request. Grabbing his shoulders, he asked frantically, "How is she? Is Ayame all right? What happened?"

"Calm down, Mr. Suoh." The doctor looked slightly grim, his clipboard tucked under one arm, his face expressionless. Pushing up his glasses, he told him calmly, "We did everything we could. It was a good thing you got her in as soon as you did."

"Yes, but how is she? How did this even happen?"

"A miscarriage is not something that can be traced. There really is nothing or no one to blame. These things just seem to happen. On another note, your wife is doing fine, she is just recovering, and needs to rest for another week or two."

He let out a small sigh of relief. Ayame was fine. After a pause, Tamaki asked in barely more than a whisper, "What about the baby?"

"…I'm sorry, Mr. Suoh. We did everything we could…"

His hands dropped lifelessly to his sides, the air knocked out of him. Looking at the tiled floor, he mumbled, "I see." The full effect didn't seem to hit him yet. It was like he was still trying to process that he had lost everything he had dreamed of in the past three months in the blink of an eye.

"You may see her, if you wish." The doctor's voice brought him back from his thoughts, causing Tamaki to look up at the man, who wore a sympathetic face. "Just try not to disturb her if she's sleeping."

Nodding, he made his way past the doctor. Before he pushed open the double doors that would no doubt lead him to another overly white hallway, he turned back towards the man, a small, sad smile on his face. "Thank you."

"Pardon?"

Tamaki smiled just a tad bigger, repeating, "Thank you. For saving her."

Obviously taken aback, the doctor blinked, not quite responding for a few seconds. Then, when the words sank in, he softened, a ghost of a smile on his lips as he replied, "I only wish I could do more." Still, it had been the first time someone had thanked him in this situation. Even after this man lost his child, he still passed on his kindness, truly unbreakable.

That was not entirely correct below the surface. While his kind demeanor shone through in all cases, no exceptions, Tamaki felt as though someone had just torn out his heart, ripped it into shreds, and tossed it on the ground. No, that was an understatement. He mentally shook the thought out of his head. He didn't have time to mope; he had to see Ayame. Making his way through the double doors and down the hall, he could see that there was only one room with the door closed, a sure sign of a patient inside.

Quietly, he opened the door, just a hair. He paused, hesitating. What was truly awaiting him beyond this door? It wouldn't be something he would like; he knew that for a fact. Taking a deep breath, he gripped the door handle a little tighter, determined. No, no matter the situation, he had to get in there. He loved her too much to not burst in. "Ayame? Are you all right? Should I call the doctor again? Can you see me?" He froze in his sea of worried questions, too stunned by the sight in front of him to even move another inch.

Right there, silver eyes, hospital gown, and all, was Ayame, sitting there, her hair a mess, a few tubes sticking out of her connected to machines, crying. _Crying._ Tamaki could count the number of times he saw Ayame truly sob on one hand. In fact, after their wedding, she hadn't shed a single tear. Now here she was, looking so fragile and lost in all this white and machinery. At the sound of his voice, her head had popped up, revealing that she had taken her glasses off and her eyes were puffy and red.

Immediately, almost as if by instinct, she wiped furiously, grabbing her spectacles off the bedside table and trying to calm herself and make herself presentable. "Tamaki," she greeted, her voice already wavering, threatening to build up another lump in her throat.

"Ayame," he breathed, making his way to the chair next to her bed in less than three strides, taking her hand in his. He looked her in the eyes, asking seriously, "Are you okay?"

"I am perfectly fine. The doctor has informed me that a good week of rest will do me well but I am otherwise healthy." She knew he didn't mean that way. She was too afraid of him seeing her so weak and broken again to even venture into that territory.

He looked towards the floor, muttering, "Do you hate me?"

"Hate you?" she replied, taken aback. "Why in the world would I hate you?"

"Because I caused this," he explained, looking back up at her gray eyes, filled with confusion. "I'm such an idiot, I must've done something to-"

Ayame interrupted, almost a little wearily, "Tamaki, don't be stupid. There is no known cause for miscarriages, as I'm sure the doctor has explained."

A ghost of a smile traced his lips, and he asked warmly, "You asked him, didn't you?"

She was silent, and watched his face. How did he know her so well? Her eyes were tearing up, and her free hand went to her stomach. "No, I did not." Her voice cracked, and tears began to spill down her cheeks. There was no use trying to stop it; Tamaki knew, she knew, and honestly, all she wanted to do was cry. Her baby, her own child, was gone. She had picked out a name; painted a nursery, even let Tamaki take care of her. Now it was all gone.

Tamaki let Ayame crumble into his arms, crying on his shirt, her body shaking. He rubbed circles into her back, closing his eyes to try to keep his own tears from coming. Not now. Now was Ayame's time to grieve. "We'll keep trying," he soothed into her ear, "We'll keep trying."

"I-I'm…scared to," she hiccuped, letting all the pain come out.

Tamaki squeezed her a little tighter. "But I know that you can gain the courage. You're my Ayame. My unbreakable Ayame."

"How can you say that?" she sniffled, her crying finally subdued. She pulled back slightly from his embrace, looking him in the eyes, as if searching for an answer there, and continuing, "I'm a mess. A weak, crying mess."

"No, Ayame. You're just letting yourself accept this." He told her gently, smiling and wiping away a stray tear from her cheek, "I know that in a week, you'll be stronger than ever. And when we know we're ready, we'll try again. Together, we're unbreakable."

"Unbreakable," she whispered, toying with the word. She leaned back into Tamaki, who was rather startled that she would encourage a hug, but accepted it anyway. She closed her eyes, telling him, "No, you're the unbreakable one. I saw how devastated you were the minute you walked in. And yet you're caring for me."

"That's what people do when they love each other."

"…Thank you…"

"Don't worry," he told her, letting her lean back into her bed, her voice heavy with a desire for sleep, her eyes already closing slowly, "We'll try again."

* * *

"Congratulations, Tamaki."

"Yeah, congrats, tono."

"Congratulations, you two."

"Hooray! And we brought a cake to celebrate!"

"Congratulations."

Tamaki beamed at all his friends, gathered around him and Ayame, who was holding a little blue bundle. "Thank you all! We couldn't have done it without you!"

Ayame nodded, finally taking her eyes off of the baby boy in her arms. "Thank you all for coming."

Haruhi smiled, looking over at the infant, and commenting, "He has your eyes, Ayame."

"And Tamaki's hair," Hikaru added, his arm around his wife's shoulders possessively.

The baby, as all babies were, was adorable. A round, chubby face complete with silver eyes and the beginnings of light blonde hair scattered around the top of his head.

Tamaki grinned, watching as his child let out a giggle and played with Ayame's hair, the women smiling in return. He looked around the room, which was now filled with balloons, flowers, cards, and as Hunny promised, a cake. "I'm a father," he whispered, trying out the sentence. "I'm really a father…"

"Dear god, someone save the world before there are two Tamakis," Kaoru sniggered, earning a laugh from his twin. Tamaki pouted, but ignored him, and enjoyed how warm and friendly the air felt, the air buzzing with excitement. To think, only a year or so before, this very hospital had felt so cold and morbid.

Hunny piped up, "What are you going to name him?"

Ayame looked over to her husband, both of them smiling warmly at each other, before turning back to the baby, who seemed curious and eager to explore the world. "Yuuki…" she breathed, tired and yet exhilarated. This was her child, her baby.

"Yes," Tamaki said gently, leaning towards the newborn to give his cheek a loving little tickle. With the arrival of this boy, the miscarriage had been wiped clean from their minds. This was the very reason they had not given up. It was for this very baby that Tamaki and Ayame had remained strong together, an unbreakable force pulling them, coaxing them to try again, even after just how much sadness they had felt. "Our gentle hope."

* * *

**Disclaimer: Adorable little Yuuki Suoh belongs to Tamaki and Ayame, who in turn, belong to Bisco Hatori. :]**

**Did you catch the HikaHaru moment in there? :D /brick'd Sorry, but the manga ending in all that TamaHaru made me uber depressed. TAMAKIxAYAME and HIKAHARU FTW! D:**

**Speaking of HikaHaru, this chapter was partially inspired by Mimi-dudette's awesome sauce story, I don't believe in love at first sight. If you like HikaHaru and good writing as much as I do, you would read it. Like, now. In one sitting. Seriously. Go. Don't even bother to finish reading this AN, just go. Ok, review first, but then go.**

**About the chapter: I wanted to do something a little sadder, and at first it ended before Ayame had little Yuuki, but I was like "Aw, I don't wanna be mean..." so because I'm a wimp, you get this little bittersweet tale. Is it pathetic if I teared up a little while writing this...?**

**I agree with Kaoru, you know. What's the plural of Tamaki? Trick question, there is no plural, because let's face it, the world can only handle one. xD I figured Yuuki would be a little more of a mama's boy, considering she could make anybody who was bullying him choke with her monotonous lectures, while Tamaki would prove to be rather useless in the situation.  
**

**Originally, I had wanted to show Tamaki and Ayame slowly getting over the whole miscarriage ordeal, but it just seemed to drag on and on, so I figured I would just kind of skip it.**

**Oh, and if anything is inaccurate, it's because that I don't go and look up facts about miscarriages and such on the internet in my spare time. So if you do see something that's incorrect, please message me or something.  
**

**Anyways... 1/20 done with this challenge! In other words, not even close. Ah well, I'm mainly writing this whenever I have time and when I get ideas. It helps with my creative flow, you know?**

**Next chapter: Obsession**

**Until then, read and enjoy!  
**


	6. Obsession

Obsession

"He's obsessed."

"He's not obsessed! Just…"

"Just what, Tamaki?"

"He's just… a little passionate, is all."

Ayame raised a brow at her husband, and turned back to face Yuuki's room.

The carpet was white, plush, and free of any stains due to the fact that the maids were always on guard, prepared for whenever Yuuki spilled anything, which happened frequently. The walls were a nice, lively shade of spring green, without being too obnoxious. The room itself was really just a big square, which Ayame said gave the room no architectural support or involvement, but Tamaki had argued that it would allow their son to "express himself."

And he had done just that. Typically, Ayame wouldn't have had a problem with it. However, it had gone too far.

Yuuki's low, white modern bed placed in front of a window overlooking the garden was now sporting a Medieval-themed pillow and comforter. His walls were covered with posters and messily colored-in pictures of knights, dragons, and the like. His low, white desk at the right of the room now held not only multitudes of crayons and finger paints, but also picture books of anything that even remotely related to knights in shining armor. Any storage used for his toys held medieval figurines, a few plastic swords, plastic horses and carriages, and even a few dress-up clothes that would put any geek obsessed with the Middle Ages to shame.

Currently, their son was sitting in the very center of the room, piles upon piles of every shade of crayon imaginable around him, a few of his more favorite figures scattered as well, along with his trusty plastic sword and steed, which was a brown and white pinto horse that he could "ride" on. Yuuki actually looked rather cute, with his blond hair a mess, looking quite a bit like Tamaki's, his silver eyes bearing a determined gleam, his tongue sticking out a bit as he concentrated on coloring inside the lines of the knight, in order to make him look as majestic as possible. A thick stack of other medieval coloring books, particularly about knights, also lay next to him.

Tamaki followed her gaze, biting his lip. She sighed, exasperated, pinching the bridge of her nose, her eyes closed behind her glasses as she muttered, "Honestly, I leave for Singapore on business for _one week_, and you let our son become this fanatic of the Middle Ages. Has he even played on his toy violin at all? Or asked to play with any of the Host Club's children?"

His face instantly brightened, and he chirped, "Oh, Yuuki did ask me a few times to call everyone and see if he could play."

Ayame, knowing better, prodded, "And what exactly did he want to play?"

"…Knights and princesses," Tamaki grumbled, becoming disheartened. He should've known better; he could never beat his wife in any argument.

"Thought so." Ayame sighed, leaving her husband to try and think of something that could help him pick up any remaining shred of pride. She bent down, to get closer to Yuuki as he sat, still drawing, and began, "Yuuki, you never told me that you were so interested in knights before. I thought you liked to play your violin and learn all about academics." Believe it or not, Ayame had developed some sort of maternal instincts, and was in fact able to communicate with her child.

Yuuki looked up, blinking owlishly at her mother. He beamed, yipping, "Oh, well ever since Daddy told me about how he was a prince when he was younger, I wanted to be just like them! So brave, and chi-ch-" He looked rather cute, looking down and trying hard to pronounce the word, stuttering, "chilavores."

"Chivalrous, sweetie."

"Yeah, that too! And Daddy said that you were a princess and he saved you from a fire-breathing dragon one time and that he had a lot of fun!"

Ayame raised her eyebrow once more, straightening and looking back at Tamaki, who was twiddling his thumbs sheepishly. "Oh did he, now?"

"Yup! And he even said that Mrs. Haruhi and Mr. Hikaru were home and they were bringing over Hanako and Hamore to play! I think I'm going to start a Knight Club like Daddy with all my friends!"

"Knight Club?" she repeated, slightly baffled. And then it all clicked. Without another word, Yuuki returned to his coloring, oblivious to the fact that he had just sent his father spiraling into dangerous waters, Ayame stomping over to Tamaki and grabbing him by the arm, leading him out to the hall while hissing, "A word, dear."

After making sure the door was firmly closed, Ayame turned to Tamaki and snapped, "Why didn't you read the bed-time stories I told you to read to Yuuki while I was gone?"

Tamaki gulped, knowing that he was, basically, screwed. "Um, well, they were all about academics, and…"

"And what?"

"And I thought that Yuuki, should, uh…be more exposed to creative thinking, and so I started reading him some fairy-tales."

If this had been it, Ayame would have been relatively pleased with her husband, mutually agreeing that he had done fairly well. However, she knew him too well to know when he was only telling the half-truth. "Did he ask you if you were a knight?"

"…I _might_ have let it slip that I was a princely-type, but I know that you didn't want Yuuki knowing about the Host Club, so I had to improvise, and it all…just…kind of…came together…?"

Silence. Ayame gave him a cold, hard stare, Tamaki shriveling under her gaze. "You are as aware as I am," she finally broke the silence, growling, "That whenever his mother is not around, Yuuki is forced to look at you as a role-model. He also inherited your naivety, and therefore is gullible enough to believe everything you say."

Tamaki simpered, "But what's so wrong about him being so…zealous about wanting to be like his old man?"

"Would you like your list in alphabetical order, or in order of importance?"

He cringed, making a final attempt to appease his wife. "It's just a phase, Ayame, I'm sure he'll be over it in a week…"

Another hard stare, but this time, Ayame softened, sighing wearily. "Fine. But if this continues and he is distracted from his learning and friendly relationships for another week I will personally see to it that he knows just how much of a disappointment you are to the image he has built up of you."

Tamaki let a small smile creep onto his lips as he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer and letting his chin rest on top of her head. "You know, I never got the chance to say how much I missed you."

"Yes, you did. You called me at least every other hour."

Ignoring this, he pulled away slightly, looking into her eyes. He could never get tired of that shade of silver. He leaned down, pressing his lips to hers, Ayame's eyes widening a bit.

Even after they had been together for so long, both of them still felt their hearts speed up, a warm, fuzzy feeling spreading over them. Ayame slowly felt the need to murder her husband slip away. A tiny part of her brain argued, telling her that the idiot knew exactly just how she would forgive him the second their lips touched. She quickly told that part of her brain to shut up already so she could enjoy it.

"Excuse me, Mr. and Mrs. Suoh?"

Tamaki seemed almost a little annoyed at the fact that their kiss had been interrupted, Ayame still a little dazed, but he put on his smile and asked, "Yes?"

"Mr. and Mrs. Hitachiin are here for Young Master Yuuki's play date."

"Wonderful! Send them up."

The two watched as a familiar brunette, her hair still rather short and choppy, and a ginger, his eyes still like a cat's, came up the stairs, both of them holding hands with and leading a small five-year old girl with dark brown hair in pigtails and golden, almond eyes.

"Haruhi! Hikaru! Hanako!" Tamaki greeted them warmly, then, realizing something, added, "Where is Hamore?"

"Oh, he's playing with Kaoru's son, Sora, who's way cooler than Yuuki," Hikaru teased, giving Tamaki a smirk. As the two began to bicker, Haruhi rolled her eyes and gently led little Hanako over to Ayame.

"Good to see you, Haruhi."

The said girl smiled warmly, asking Ayame, "How was your business trip to Singapore?"

"The trip itself was fine. Upon my arrival, though, I made a bit of a…discovery…"

Haruhi cocked her head to the side, asking, "Discovery?"

Hanako tugged at her mother's skirt, whining, "Mommy, when am I gonna see Yuuki?"

Ayame smiled down at the child, turning to lead them down the hall, telling them, "Yes, well, you'll see when we get there."

Once Hikaru and Tamaki noticed that they had been left behind, they quickly caught up. At the sight of Haruhi slightly gaping, Hikaru came up to her side, asking, "What-" He turned to look at Yuuki's room, and his question was answered for him. "You know, somehow I'm not surprised that tono would get his kid addicted to his stuff."

"It's not my fault!" Ayame cleared her throat, glaring at him. He added in barely more than a whisper, "…entirely…"

Hanako seemed to ignore the adults, and instead giddily ran over to the young boy, still coloring, and peered over his shoulder at the picture. "Whatcha drawing?"

The boy beamed, explaining as he finished, "It's a knight. Isn't he awesome?"

She studied the picture as Yuuki stood up, displaying it proudly. Hanako was a bit short for her age, and Yuuki was about a year or so older, causing the height difference to be more than two or three inches. However, they actually looked rather good together, with Hanako's soft, cute features balancing Yuuki's mature and sharp ones. She cocked her head to the side, and then chirped, "It's amazing! So what do you want to play?"

"Knight and princess!"

Her face immediately fell, and she grumbled, "But I don't wanna be a princess! I wanna be a lawyer, like my mommy!"

"But you're always saying how pretty the dresses are that your daddy and uncle design, and princesses get to wear a bunch of pretty dresses!"

Hanako contemplated this. "Do I get to wear a tiara, too?"

Yuuki beamed, abandoning his drawing on the ground and cooing, going down on one knee, "When you're my princess one day, Hanako, I'll buy you all the tiaras in the world!" The two giggled, smiling. Suddenly, a thought occurred to Yuuki, causing him to stand once more. "Hey Hanako, you know how that frog got turned into a prince 'cause the princess kissed him?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Well, I'm a prince, so maybe if you kissed me, I would turn into a frog!"

"How are you a prince? You're only six!" Hanako argued, putting her hands on her hips and explaining in a haughty, yet cute, holier-than-thou way.

Yuuki grinned, explaining passionately, "My daddy is a prince, so that makes me a prince, too!"

"Well I'm not gonna kiss you, 'cause everybody knows that boys have cooties!"

"But princes never have cooties! It's why their princes!"

The two looked at each other, and Hanako eyed him, asking, "So if I kiss you, you might turn into a frog?"

"Mhmm!"

"Oh, okay!"

With that, Hanako went on her tiptoes and gave him a peck on the lips. Neither of them blushed, not knowing the significance of a kiss yet, and stared at each other, Yuuki flexing his fingers to see if they had become amphibious yet. "Maybe it takes a few minutes. Come on, let's play until I turn into a frog!"

"Okay! Do you have a tiara?"

"No, but I bet we can make one with some paper and glitter!"

The entire exchange was rather heart-warming and adorable, and Ayame and Haruhi smiled a bit at it. Hikaru and Tamaki, on the other hand, were horrified.

Gaping, their eyes twitching, the two looked at each other, trying to imagine themselves as in-laws. Both let out a shiver, Hikaru spitting, "You know, you're pretty damn lucky Yuuki's only six, or else I would have shot him."

"Hikaru," Haruhi scolded, "Relax, they don't even know what a kiss means."

"But you know," Ayame muttered, thinking, "Yuuki does seem to want to play more with Hanako than the other children…"

Haruhi added, "Hanako's been telling everyone that she's wanted to be a princess for quite some time now…"

"So you're saying," Hikaru began.

"That Yuuki is obsessed with being a prince because he wants to make Hanako happy?" Tamaki finished.

Hikaru added, "And that they both have crushes on each other?"

Their wives gave them a "no-duh" look, then turned back to watch the two, exchanging smiles.

Once again, Hikaru and Tamaki looked at each other, at Yuuki and Hanako, and back at each other. Grimly, Tamaki put a hand on Ayame's shoulder, all business. "Ayame, we must cure Yuuki of this obsession. _Now._"

* * *

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Host Club. Just their children...wait, what...?**

**Am I fudging the rules a bit by kind of taking the focus a little off of Tamaki and Ayame? 'Cause I don't care. :D I think I'm going to do more with Yuuki, Hanako, Hamore, Sora, etc... Why? 'Cause I'm lame and I'm already planning out Yuuki's entire life. Yes, I do have a problem, thanks for noticing.**

**Ah, young love. How it's so adorable to wives and yet scares husbands to the bone. Poor Hikaru and Tamaki, trying to deal with the idea of their children marrying.**

**Not much else to say, really, except that the next theme is...Eternity.**

**Read and enjoy! (And every review gets a virtual plushie of Hanako and Yuuki holding hands. Do with it as you wish.)  
**


	7. Eternity

Eternity

My eyes fluttered open, the gentle golden rays of sun making their way through the cracks in the blinds and onto my face. Still groggy and too sleepy to sit up, I let my eyes flicker around the room, picking up little details and clues that would help me remember where I was.

The bedside table held a digital clock, glass of water, and my glasses. It was around 6:30 in the morning, which would explain why I was feeling moody that I had been awakened.

I was clearly in my bed, in my room…No. Something about that felt…wrong…

True, I had bought this loft around a year ago. I lived here. I ate here. And yet, I couldn't quite say that it was mine.

Only after the warmth around me grew, the soft arms holding me close to a beating heart pull me slightly closer, almost greedily, did I realize why. It was now mine and Tamaki's. We hadn't married, we weren't even engaged, but we had moved in together.

Actually, he had showed up one night with all his stuff in an effort to "surprise me" with the "good" news. I had promptly slammed the door shut in his face, yelling something about him being half-insane, which he was.

It took a few more days of convincing before I finally caved in, allowing him to begin to unpack, claiming that as soon as I found him annoying, he was moving back to his own penthouse.

Last night was the first night of our little "test run".

I snuggled deeper into his embrace, looking over at the clock: 6:33. Letting my eyes close, I found myself slowly slipping away from the real world.

When I was with him, it was like all these little moments seemed to blur together into one, big happy eternity, an ever-going time line that I was gratefully adding on to.

Yes, my mind was already made up. I wouldn't care if he irritated me to the core, kept insisting that we switch over to buying everything we used from a "commoner's store", heck, he could set the kitchen on fire for all I cared. Please, just let this moment, as he holds me, warm and safe, the world around us fading, stretch into eternity.

* * *

**Goodness gracious this is short; not even a 500 words! D: Ah well, I'm still rather happy with this tiny little drabble thingy. :]**

**Next theme: Gateway**

**Okay, time to get creative...**

**Read and enjoy! (Reviews shall receive, uh...virtual cupcakes! -Warning: Do not attempt to eat, you will get electrocuted-)  
**


	8. Gateway

Gateway

"Isn't this nice? You and me, kiddo, going to school together in the morning? Yes sirree, nothing like some quality father-son time to start the day!"

"Dad, you only rode with me because you were running late."

If it wasn't for the fact that Tamaki knew better by know than to go to a fetal position in a moving limo, he would've been in his emo corner. For now, though, he settled on pouting at Yuuki, who was staring, bored, out the window, wearing his male middle school uniform.

Truth was, his son was right. But still, how could he not want to spend more time with his dad? Surely it couldn't be awkward having his dad run the school? All he did was stop by and hug him until he was out of breath a few times in front of all his little friends…

"So, uh," Tamaki scanned his brain desperately for another conversation-starter. Whatever happened to those good old days, back when Yuuki used to believe everything he said and idolized him? "I see you're wearing your contacts. Do you not like your glasses?"

Yuuki replied, sparing his father a glance, "They're perfectly fine, I just find it more convenient when I run or do any physical activity."

Tamaki grinned, scooting closer to the boy and practically giggling, "Oh, so it's not because a certain Hanako Hitachiin made a comment the other day of how pretty your eyes were and that you shouldn't cover them up with glasses?"

"EH?" Flustered, a bright crimson blush invaded his cheeks as Yuuki stammered, "O-of course not! God, you're so creepy, Dad!"

"C-creepy…?" Thoroughly upset, Tamaki hung his head down, sniffling, "B-but I'm not creepy, I-I'm just…"

Suddenly, the limo jerked to a stop, the driver announcing that they had arrived at Ouran. Yuuki gathered his stuff and slammed the door open in record time, yelling over his shoulder, "Okay-bye-see-you-later!"

He spotted a group of kids near the gateway, including Hanako, her fraternal twin Hamore, who looked like a male copy of her, with the only difference being he having short, spiky hair, and Hanako sporting two small, low pigtails, their hair now a deep auburn. Another boy, a year younger than Yuuki, named Sora, had black spiky hair and amber eyes, looking quite annoyed as two female twin kindergarteners with flowing ginger hair and blue eyes named Sayaka and Sayuri tugged at his pants, obviously wanting their older brother to walk them to class again.

Katsu and Kimiko Ootori were also present, Katsu with his gray/blue eyes and black hair, Kimiko with her red curls and green eyes, the two looking and acting as different as night and day. Katsu was currently Yuuki's age, Kimiko being a year younger.

A tall, quiet boy with dark brown hair and icy blue eyes that was a year older than Yuuki by the name of Yuichi watched everyone with a small smile. Mitsu, the same age as Yuichi, although he couldn't have even been five foot, had fluffy black hair and big brown eyes, was hugging a pink bunny and riding on the silent boy's shoulders.

Hanako, who was chatting with Kimiko currently, seemed to look past her and spot Yuuki. A grin took over her lips as she waved to him, Kimiko in turn turning around and following her gaze. Yuuki brightened, taking off at a light jog towards everyone, joining the group and seeming to brighten up considerably compared to his ride to school with his dad.

Tamaki took his time getting out, and watched the group nostalgically. How many times had he met with the club near this very gateway? Ah, memories… It was nice to just watch the kids interact, noting what characteristics they shared with their parents, and how they differed.

His eyes widened slightly, along with his smile a second later, as Hamore turned away from his sister, Yuuki slowly and secretly intertwining his fingers with Hanako's, who seemed to lean into the boy a little. The second Hamore turned back towards the two, she straightened up, but didn't let go of his son's hand.

Oh, how cute! Tamaki could've just about died right there, so sweet, so romantic, so- wait a minute. Suddenly pensive, he cupped his chin with his hand, wondering about the last time he had done something romantic for Ayame. After all, they had had their first kiss under this very gateway. He saw it on his way to work as the chairman everyday, and yet he still hadn't done something very…well, Tamaki-ish lately. He grinned, now determined to change that. Oh, but before he set to work… Tamaki cupped his hands around his mouth to make sure his message was heard and yelled, "Okay Yuuki, I love you! Have a fun day at school with all your friends!"

Yuuki's head fell, and his cheeks were blazing red, his friends chuckling at his eccentric dad. "I wish he would stop doing that…"

"Aw, Yuuki didn't reply back. I wish he would start to…"

* * *

"Yes…Yes," Ayame huffed into the receiver of the home phone, sitting in front of her computer, paperwork scattered everywhere, covering every inch of her desk. "Yes, I am perfectly aware of the company's financial situation…No, I am not suggesting we sell, it would give away our desperateness to the competition, and-" She was cut off as Tamaki's head popped in as he opened the door. "Listen, Jun, I have to get back to you…Yes…Yes, I'll be sure to get back to them on the offer. Be sure to bring it up at tomorrow evening's meeting…Good day."

Hanging up, she let her head fall into her hands, the stress gnawing at her. She let her husband wrap his arms around her neck loosely, his chin resting on the top of her head. "What's wrong, darling?"

"Business is down, and now we're being offered to have a newer and upcoming company buy us, and I'm worried that this is an offer we won't be able to refuse. Our fax is broken, no one seems to be including me in any of the decisions and are expecting me to fix everything, and-"

"Well, how about a break?" Tamaki chirped, happy at the opportunity to offer her a relief from all her work.

Ayame sighed. "No. Too much to be done, and you will prove only to be a distraction. Unless I manage to-"

Tamaki sulked, spinning her chair to face him and giving her his best puppy dog eyes. She bit her lip. Crap. She had never been immune to those weapons of mass adorability…

"Pwease, Ayame? For me?"

_Stay strong, stay strong_, she repeated in her head, steeling herself. _Just a little longer and he'll get the message. Be firm now, no caving in this time…_ "…Fine…But only for an hour. Then I have to get back to work."

"Yay! I promise, it'll be the best day ever! Just give me a minute and we'll set out!"

She watched as he skipped out the door, having a strange case of déjà vu. Oh, that's right, he had said the same thing when he wanted to cook her a gourmet dinner all by himself. He had ended up setting the kitchen on fire, and would've burned the whole house down had Yuuki not been around and with enough sense to use the fire extinguisher, unlike Tamaki, who simply flailed around, yelling. And then there was the time that he had said that their date to the amusement park was "going to be the best day ever". It had rained on them, half of the rides closing down, the other half making Ayame feel nauseous and dizzy. And of course she couldn't forget the trip to the zoo, when he had ended up falling into the gorilla pen, causing quite a commotion. The place also reeked, was over-crowded, and had what were most likely the most wicked and vicious goats ever to be born in the petting zoo.

And those weren't even the worst.

Ayame sighed, letting her head fall into her hands. What was she getting herself into?

* * *

"Okay, almost there!" Tamaki chirped, leading a blindfolded Ayame along the sidewalk, the autumn air cool and crisp, an occasional leaf falling from its place and landing delicately on the pavement.

Ayame huffed, looking more than a little displeased as she stumbled along after Tamaki, who dragged her enthusiastically towards who-knows-where, "Honestly, Tamaki, was it really necessary for you to blindfold me? It is quite inconvenient, idiotic, and rather hazardous considering the speed of your walking. Tamaki? Tamaki! Are you even listening?"

"Just a few more seconds, darling!"

Figures. He had been married to her for over a decade and she still didn't know what was going on through his head. Maybe he blocked out the rest of the world whenever it didn't relate to him? She may never know; or want to, for that matter.

Out of the blue he came to an abrupt stop, seeming to walk around to stand behind her, his hands on her shoulders, his lips close to her ear. "Ready?" he yipped, practically squealing.

No. Honestly, she would never, at least in this life, ever be ready for whatever her husband would throw at her. He was unpredictable, childish, and somewhat reckless. Ayame let a small smile tug at her lips; after all, that was partly why she loved the idiot to pieces. "Mhmm."

"Okay! In three…" She could feel his fingers tugging at the knot of the blindfold, untying it at a snail's pace. "Two…"Despite herself, she could feel eagerness bubble up inside her, as if she was about to open the biggest Christmas present ever. "One." With a final tug at the knot, the blindfold smoothly slid down her nose, Tamaki quickly replacing it with her glasses, then taking a few steps forward to pose sheepishly in front of his handiwork, smiling and cheering, "Ta-da!"

Her hand flew up to her gaping mouth, her eyes widening, her glasses perched at the very tip of her nose. "Oh. My. God," she whispered, mesmerized.

In front of her was the gateway to Ouran, which she had seen countless times. However, stuck on every individual iron bar that made up the entrance, hanging on little white strings from the branches of the surrounding trees, and even arranged on the ground a few feet in front of her into a heart, were little yellow sticky-notes, all covered in words, doodles, undoubtedly hand-written by Tamaki. There had to have been thousands; perhaps even more than a million.

"Wh-" Ayame gasped, for once genuinely shocked and rather speechless, as she took a step forward, her head turning in all directions, "What is all of this?"

"Do you like it?" Tamaki asked, coming up beside her and taking her hand in his own. He beamed, following her gaze as it traveled, taking in the vast sea of yellow and assorted colors of gel pens. "It's a list of everything that I could remember that's happened to us since we walked through this gateway." The blond frowned, seeming to think of something, and added thoughtfully, "But I know I must have left something off. Oh, Ayame, please don't be mad at me!"

This was far too grand. Honestly, what was he thinking? She couldn't possibly read all of this. Ayame's mind should have been racing with arguments, agreeing with him that this entire display irked her. Instead, she examined a few on a nearby bar, Tamaki following along after her, still holding her hand. _Our first kiss, our first dance, even the first time we had eaten lunch together_, she mused to herself, skimming through the entries, _He even wrote down the month and year it happened in. Does he keep a journal or something? Look, he's written down all the details, too! How in the world did he remember what I had given him for our very third anniversary; even I don't remember that!_ All she could manage to muster up was "How many are there?"

"Hm? Oh, I don't know. I lost track at a thousand…"

A thousand. Over a thousand of these little memories, all these tiny milestones that would seem insignificant to anyone else, but had become the gateway to their loving relationship. And he had remembered every single one.

She couldn't help it. Before Ayame herself even knew what she was doing, she was launching herself at her husband, wrapping her arms around his neck and crashing her lips onto his. Tamaki was rather startled; after all, since when did Ayame make the first move? She was usually the one to push him off. However, he soon melted into her, allowing the kiss to stretch out, neither of them aware of the world around them, as the little yellow messages were slowly fluttering in the wind, as the students who were staying for after school activities that were now leaving stared in awe.

For a second they broke apart, Tamaki whispering in Ayame's ear, "So, did I do okay this time?"

"More than adequate," she admitted, beginning to kiss him once more, "Fantastic."

* * *

"Hey look, Yuuki," Hanako pointed out at her spot on the windowsill in the library, the two immersed in math homework and a book report. She pressed her nose against the glass, smiling and saying, "Your mom and dad are down there…and are those…Post-It notes?"

Yuuki looked up from his work, setting his textbook on the table and walking over to the window, following Hanako's finger. He grimaced, "Yeah, my dad wrote down every little thing that my mom and him did and stuck it all around. Took him at least three hours. Gosh, he's so corny, it's embarrassing…"

"Really?" Hanako inquired, turning to let her amber orbs inspect Yuuki. A smile replaced her blank expression as she turned back to watch the display, mumbling, "I think it's actually rather sweet."

"O-oh, uh," the boy stumbled, recovering, "Y-yeah, you know, I, uh, gave him the idea."

Hanako giggled good-naturedly, rolling her eyes. "Sure you did, Yuuki. Sure you did."

* * *

**Disclaimer: 'Tis done.**

**I apologize for the sever lack of TamakixAyame in the beginning, and the ridiculously long paragraph introducing all the next generation kids...orz, that was just silly. But I couldn't help it! They're so much fun to write about! D: Forgive me!**

**Seriously, though, I'm thinking about starting a series with 'em...I'll put a poll up in my profile and let you guys vote, 'cause I'm still debating about if I want to spend time thinking up a storyline and such.**

**ANYWAYS, back on topic (what were we talking about again? -brick'd-) I like this chapter. It was actually inspired by that one commercial, it was for Sharpies, and the guy had written down all the things he loved about his girlfriend and then arranged them to spell "Marry me" on the wall. I just about died from the sappy romanticness. But that was, of course, months ago, and how I managed to remember it I will never know. But it seems like something Tamaki might do; but of course, a few dozen would never do, oh no. So he had to ramp it up.**

**How _did_ he remember all that, anyway? I don't know, but he does strike me as the type to write every little thing that had happened to him that day.**

**Read and enjoy! Next theme: Death. Oh dear god, what am I going to do? D:  
**


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